The Connors
by TermGirl150
Summary: (Sequel to T1: The Terminator. Stands in between the first two films.) Sarah Connor used to be a normal 19 year old girl struggling with being an adult. But after being pursued by a Terminator and rescued by a soldier from the future, her life completely changed. However, her plan was changed once again when she realized she was about to become a mother to a boy she named John.
1. February 28th, 1985

**Chapter 1: February 28th, 1985**

 **San Ángel, Mexico**

—

Jolanda Salceda's tired brown eyes were struggling to stay open as she sat at the kitchen table, watching the back door closely. Her husband, Enrique, had told her that he would come back through that door and that if anyone came in a different way that she would know it was an intruder. Jolanda had lost track of all the sleepless nights she had had since her husband had gotten into the money and guns trade. Most of the time they had it under control, making it easy for Jolanda to raise her three children but every once in a while, Enrique would be threatened and they were placed on high alert.

The kitchen window was cracked open, occasionally letting a gust of the hot Mexican air into their home. She let out a small sigh along with the wind, placing her right hand in her lap on instinct. Her fingers traced over the trigger of the pistol and checked to be certain the safety was on. She glanced away from the gun and turned to the clock which read 4:53 A.M. Jolanda looked back at the door, wondering whether or not her husband would make it home.

She drew in another deep breath as she ran her fingers through her long black hair, trying to keep her mind off of her husband's business. She slowly leaned forward and rested her elbow on the table, placing her head on the palm of her hand, feeling the lack of sleep begin to pull her in. Jolanda tried to reason with herself saying that it would be okay if she fell asleep for only a few minutes. They house was quiet, the children were all asleep, and she had the gun in her lap, ready to use. However, her desire for sleep was interrupted by a loud cry.

"JOLANDA!"

Jolanda's eyes opened wide as she flinched in her sleep, seconds before standing up. She shoved the pistol in the back of her pants and began to run. She rushed out of the kitchen and ran through the living room, down the hallway to the guest room. She opened the door and ran next to her friend's side, gripping her right hand tight.

Sarah Connor's straight blonde hair was matted with sweat and tears were blurring in her blue eyes as she struggled to tell Jolanda what was happening. Jolanda watched as her friend gasped in pain, placing a hand on her stomach as her muscles contracted. Her jaw was clenched tight as she leaned forward in pain, squeezing Jolanda's fingers so hard that they were turning white. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Something's… wrong!"

Jolanda nodded quickly and gripped Sarah's wrist, pulling her up to her feet.

"Come on, get to the car. I'm taking you to the hospital."

As Jolanda helped pull Sarah to her feet, her sister, Salma, was standing at the door with wide eyes. Jolanda quickly spoke to Salma in Spanish, telling her to watch the children and that she was taking Sarah to the hospital. As they reached the door, Jolanda handed Salma the pistol and told her to keep an eye out for Enrique. Salma nodded and wished Sarah luck as they began to walk away.

As soon as they exited the house, Jolanda's only thought was on getting to the hospital as quickly as she could. She helped her friend into the passenger's seat and jumped into her seat, starting the old pickup truck. She raced out onto the dirt road and went as fast as she could without getting a speeding ticket. Jolanda's eyes glanced between the road and her friend, trying to calm her down through her cries of pain.

Jolanda felt a flood of relief pass through her once they arrived at the hospital. They quickly exited the car and walked to the front desk where she spoke to the woman quickly. The woman nodded and instantly called a doctor and nurses over in a hurry. Jolanda turned to Sarah and tried to help her calm down.

"It's okay, Sarah."

"No… it's not oka… ah!"

Jolanda gripped Sarah's arms as she shouted in pain, her legs buckling under her. The moment the doctors arrived they placed Sarah on a stretcher and wheeled her out of the room. Jolanda was given a clipboard and asked to fill out some of the information about Sarah while she waited for results. Her instincts told her that they would be leaving with a child and ran a hand through her hair nervously, exhaling slowly as she walked over to the waiting room with a nurse.

As she sat in the chair, looking over the paperwork she had to fill out for her friend, she remarked at how different Sarah Connor was from most women. Sarah had not told her a lot about her life in the United States or her family and when she had asked, she had been given very little information. Jolanda had been even more confused when Sarah had told her that it would be safer that way. She remembered talking with Enrique when they were considering letting Sarah move into their home so they could help her.

When Enrique had found Sarah a couple months ago she had been poor, single, alone, and pregnant with her dead lover's child. Her only possessions had been an old red Jeep, a small bag with her wallet and papers, and an old tape recorder. Jolanda had instantly felt compassionate towards the young woman and was glad once Sarah had accepted their offer to live with them for the first few years. Sarah got along well with Jolanda's children and worked as much as she could to help them whether it was around the house or outside of it.

Despite the lack of information she had been given, Jolanda knew that Sarah had been hurt somehow and ran to escape whatever was back in the United States. About a month after Sarah had moved in, Jolanda did some research on her name and learned a little bit more about her story and how two other women with her name had been murdered. The case was private but with Enrique's help they managed to be able to look more into it regarding the factory where her lover died a couple feet away from some sort of robot.

The story was confusing and there were a lot of things Jolanda didn't know about it but she knew that Sarah would eventually have to tell them and so she waited patiently for that moment to come. She knew that Sarah was strong but also knew that she had been hurt by it. She recounted all the nights that she had heard silent cries coming from her room, most likely from the pain of losing her lover.

Jolanda finished filling in what she knew about Sarah and set the clipboard on her lap, resting her head on her palm once more. She knew she wasn't going to get any sleep but needed to help relax herself for the busy day ahead of her. She was concerned with Sarah's condition and eager to figure out what was going on. The moment she was going to close her eyes, she noticed a nurse walking towards her and instantly rose to her feet.


	2. Her Son

**Chapter 2: Her Son**

Sarah Connor drew in a few deep breaths, trying not to cry anymore and instead tried to focus on what the nurse was telling her. She had never been more grateful in her life to hear someone speak nearly perfect English to her.

The bottom half of her body was still numb but she could feel some pain along her lower abdomen, which was where the doctor had to perform an emergency C-section in order to save her child. She had been terrified when they had told her that she would have to be cut open because her son's heart rate had plummeted dramatically, almost killing him. However, Sarah was relieved to find that it wasn't as painful as she was expecting.

She knew that the recovery was going to be hell but at least she wasn't pregnant anymore and she and her baby were safe. She didn't feel ready to have such a small child, knowing how much more she would need Jolanda's help, but she knew that Jolanda would stay by her side. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the hospital bed, feeling thankful for a friend like Jolanda.

Sarah heard the nurse speak again and opened her blurry and tired blue eyes to see her with a bundle of blankets in her arms that was crying loudly.

"Is he…"

"He was a little distressed in there but we managed to get him out just in time. He's quite the fighter though. We'll keep both of you here for a few days and monitor your conditions to make sure that you are healthy before we can let you go."

Sarah nodded slowly as another nurse helped prop her up slightly so she could hold her child. The moment the nurse placed her son in her arms, time seemed to stop. Every fear and doubt that she had were immediately erased in the moment. Sarah gasped once she laid eyes on the tiny baby in her arms. He was smaller than she had expected but knew that he was a few weeks ahead of his due date.

Sarah's heart lurched inside of her as she rubbed her hand softly over her son's dark hair, trying to stop his cries. She smiled and felt tears well up in her eyes again as she held her son. Part of her joy instantly mixed with sadness as she stared down at him, realizing that he was also Kyle Reese's son. She wished that he could be by her side, looking down with pride at their son, knowing that he had changed the future. Her smile grew a little bit wider as she thought of how Kyle would react to their child.

The small baby continued to cry and Sarah slowly drew him closer to her chest for comfort, kissing his forehead softly. She then gently grasped his small hand in her's watching his tiny fingers curl around her finger, holding it tight. And just a few moments after taking her hand, he slowly stopped crying. Sarah couldn't help but gaze at him with a heart full of love.

He opened his mouth to let out a huge yawn before his eyes opened slowly. Sarah let out a small breath once she noticed the beautiful and familiar color. Her newborn son carried the same pale green eyes as his father with more light, optimism, and hope than she had ever seen in Kyle. She felt as if she could feel the future grow brighter just by looking into his kind eyes. Sarah's heart began to beat faster as she smiled down at him.

"Hello, my little hero."

Sarah shook her head slowly as she looked over her baby boy, marveling over him.

"You are so perfect, I'm afraid to name you."

Sarah spent the next few moments silently looking over him, searching for the perfect name in her mind. She had spent months looking through baby name books but had always had trouble finding the right one. She watched with love as the corners of his mouth slowly folded up into a small smile before he closed his eyes. Sarah licked her lips quickly before she said the first name on her mind.

"John…"

She kept her eyes trained on her son, softly rubbing his small hand.

"I didn't think I would use something so common but… I feel like that's your name. What do you think about it?"

She giggled softly as he watched his left eye open part of the way before closing it again.

"Me too, John… me too."

The door opened slowly and Sarah looked to see Jolanda standing there with a large grin on her face and light in her tired brown eyes. She slowly walked over to Sarah's side, placing one of her rough hands on her friend's shoulder, glancing down at the child in her arms. The sweet Mexican woman shook her head slowly as she looked down at him.

"He is so handsome, Sarah."

Sarah nodded slowly as she looked up at Jolanda with a sad smile.

"He looks just like his father… dark hair and green eyes."

Jolanda returned the sad smile as she sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"Do you have a name for him?"

"I'm going to name him John."

Jolanda's eyes glanced back at the baby as she nodded slowly.

"It is perfect for him."

"I know… John Connor."


	3. You Can't Run Forever

**Chapter 3: Run**

 **May 14th, 1987**

 **01:45 P.M.**

 **San Ángel, Mexico**

—

 _It'll escape. It'll come back. It will come for her._

Sarah Connor felt her lungs begin to burn and close up as she pushed forward, her feet slapping against the dust and dirt underneath her. Her heart was pounding so fast she found it hard to breathe. Her entire body was exhausted. Her legs ached, begging her to stop but she continued to run just a little longer. She had to.

 _No, she needs to run. She needs to get away as fast as she can._

Sweat beaded down her forehead, stinging her eyes as she ran under the bright, hot sun.

 _You don't have to believe it, Sarah. You just… you have to run._

Sarah squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, shaking her head as she tried to force herself to keep moving forward.

 _You're the one that started the movement._

Sarah's heart lurched inside of her as her mind flashed to the last time she had seen Kyle. That machine had killed him pursuing her. She remembered the dead look in his green eyes and the blood seeping from his chest. He didn't die so she could stop when it got hard. But as she ran, she thought of the emotionless red eyes and metal endoskeleton haunting her every step of the way. She shook her head, speaking amidst her heavy steps.

"Come on… Sarah… you… you can do… this."

She thought of her son. He was her entire world. He was the reason she worked out two hours every day. He was the reason why she learned the ins and outs of guns, studied military plans, and involved herself with local guerilla armies. She had to do it for him. As she continued to exhaust everything she had, a vivid image came to the surface. She imagined that Terminator with its dull metal body and bright red eyes coming after her baby.

 _RUN, SARAH!_

The terror closed in on her and her legs instantly gave out. She gasped with pain as her knees hit the sandy dirt road, slamming her hands down to catch herself. Her lungs burned for oxygen but found none. She was taken back to 1984 as she had stared at the machine, watching as it sucked the life out of her. Her head hung forwards with her blonde ponytail, licking the sweat on the back of her neck.

She let out a low growl, lifting her head up to see the Salceda house a couple hundred feet away. She had failed… again. She could see the twins, Franco and Paco, running away from their little sister, Juanita, and Sarah's son John, screaming with delight. As she watched her son stumble away, she drew in one deep breath and slowly rose to her feet.

Sarah's legs screamed at her again but she ignored them, grunting once as she began to run the rest of the way. She kept her eyes trained on her young son, motivating her to finish. She eventually slowed to a jog as she drew closer. Her two year old boy grinned when he saw her and began running toward her as fast as he could with arms out. Sarah returned the smile and ran to him, falling on her knees into his small embrace.

His arms clasped around her neck, squeezing tight and Sarah lifted him up into her arms as she rose back to her feet. She swayed gently from side to side as she held him, walking to the back of the house. John shifted and Sarah kissed his forehead quickly and then moved so that he rested on her hip. She noticed Jolanda sitting with Juanita on her lap and smiled as she sat down on the bench across from them.

"Hello, Jolanda."

"Hello! How was your workout?"

Sarah knew her face was flushed red from exertion as well as the likely sun burn. She straightened her blonde ponytail and let out a deep breath.

"It was alright."

She adjusted one of the straps of her black tank top before she set John down on the bench beside her. Jolanda nodded slowly, understanding Sarah's disappointment.

"It's okay to be human sometimes, Sarah."

Sarah let out a small chuckle as her blue eyes shifted to her toddler, clapping Juanita's hands across the table.

"I can't afford to do it now… not while he's still small."

"He will always be small to you."

Sarah ruffled John's wispy brown hair, smiling softly as she looked into his pale green eyes.

"I keep thinking about his father."

Jolanda's brown eyes widened a little bit as she watched Sarah, remembering her story. Sarah shook her head slowly.

"I keep seeing him… everywhere I go. He… he keeps telling me to run. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I can never move forward. He would love John… so much."

"Kyle would not want you to be sad for him. Just live for him. Do all you can and allow yourself to be weak when you need to be. You can't run forever, Sarah."

John slowly inched towards the edge of the bench, sliding off, and ran back to the older twins, Franco and Paco, giggling. Sarah watched as he went, chasing after the identical curly black haired, brown eyed boys. Juanita followed soon after with her straight brown hair blowing ferociously in the hot air. For a moment, she was happy seeing their joy but her mind reflected on all of the children in the future that would fear or never get a chance to truly play.

She turned back to her friend, her voice soft and weak.

"I know you don't entirely believe my story, Jolanda, but I can't stop thinking about the future. It's… it's coming so soon and I'm afraid we won't be ready. John will be 12. He doesn't deserve a world thrust into war… no one does."

Jolanda leaned across the table, placing her hand on top of Sarah's with a small smile.

"Stop thinking about the destruction and watch your son play. He deserves to be a child a little while longer."

"He's not going to be like the other kids."

"You think my kids are normal? Enrique has already begun to teach those two crazy boys about guns. We don't live the ideal life style but at least we're ready for whatever comes."

"I just hope I don't get carried away."

Jolanda pulled away slowly, nodding, as the two mothers looked back to their children.

"Me too."


	4. Evacuate

**Chapter 4: Evacuate**

 **August 10th, 1992**

 **01:27 A.M.**

 **San Ángel, Mexico**

—

Sarah Connor awoke with a start as she felt two hands clasp down on her shoulders. Her eyes opened instantly and she gripped the person's wrists and moved as if to knee the person but the voice stopped her.

"We need to leave… now."

Sarah stared into Jolanda's fear filled brown eyes with a look of confusion.

"What? Why?"

"They are coming."

Sarah climbed out of the bed quickly, surprised that Jolanda was still holding her.

"The deal fell through?"

Jolanda nodded.

"They were not there when Enrique arrived. He called to tell us that they may come here looking for us. We must leave."

Sarah returned with a quick nod and watched as Jolanda rushed out of her room to get her own children and her sister, Salma. She rushed to the end of the bed and slipped on the pair of pants she had worn the day before and shoved her tennis shoes onto her feet without socks. She didn't have a lot of time to get ready.

Sarah drew in a shaky breath as she knelt down next to the bed, shaking her seven year old son awake. His face furrowed in confusion as his green eyes fluttered open slowly. Sarah pushed some of his dark hair out of his face as he stared at her, half-asleep.

"Mom?"

"Get up. We're leaving."

She gripped his wrists and pulled him up into a sitting position. He rubbed his eyes slowly before he rose to his feet, watching her pull both of the suitcases out from under the bed.

"Where are we going?"

"I… I don't know, John. We just have to leave."

She reached into the second suitcase and pulled out a pistol, turning the safety on before she set it down on the ground next to her.

"Get your shoes on now, John."

"I'm not dressed!"

"That doesn't matter. Just get your shoes on and help Jolanda pack the truck."

John immediately did what she said; putting his socks and shoes on before he turned and walked out of their room. Sarah followed with the pistol tucked in her pants, holding both of their suitcases. She watched Franco and Paco run by with the keys to go and start both of the trucks as Jolanda pushed Juanita into the living room. John ran forward taking Juanita's hand and the two of them ran after the twins to the truck.

"Go Sarah, I'll be right there."

Sarah nodded and walked out into the night, shoving the suitcases in the back of the first pick-up truck. Franco and started one and Paco had the other one running not too far away. Juanita was standing in the second truck's bed, holding a pistol before she jumped down and ran into the truck. Jolanda's sister Salma ran to the truck, pushing Paco and Juanita to the back seat. Franco sprinted to that truck and hopped into the passenger's seat, slamming the door shut behind him.

Salma nodded to Sarah once before she sped away from the house, driving down the dirt road as fast as she could. John opened the passenger's door to their truck and quickly moved to the back just as Jolanda ran out of the house. Sarah took the driver's seat and sped off the moment Jolanda was in the truck. Sarah's blue eyes watched every angle, looking for any sign of a speeding truck in the dark of night.

Jolanda's hands trembled as she held a burner phone in her hands, staring at it with fear. Sarah noticed the phone and glanced at her friend quickly.

"Do you know any more?"

"No, I am waiting for Enrique's call."

"Did you grab everything?"

Jolanda nodded.

"Yes, it is all in the other truck with the children."

Sarah shook her head slowly as she took a sharp right, tearing down the dirt road. She glanced back in the rear view mirror to see John looking out the side window, watching for cars just like she was. He licked his lips nervously and spoke softly.

"Where are we going to go?"

Jolanda turned in her seat.

"We are going to the safe house."

"Do they know where that is?"

"No. No one but Salma, Enrique, and I know where it is."

Jolanda turned back to the road and pointed left. Sarah hesitated and didn't take the turn, continuing to go straight. She sped down the road, turning at the nearest gas station and swung into it. She parked the car and turned to Jolanda.

"Call Enrique."

"What?"

"Call him now."

"Why?"

"Because it may not be the guerrillas."

Sarah nervously glanced back at John and tried to fight the fear that was closing in. John's eyes widened at the look on his mother's face.

"They're here? The… the machines?"

"I don't know, John."

Jolanda dialed her husband's number and pressed the phone to her ear. Sarah stepped out of the truck and motioned for John to follow her. He climbed out of the front seat and walked to the bed of the truck. Sarah lifted him up so he could climb over and get into the suitcases.

"What am I getting?"

"The second pistol."

John hesitated but opened the suitcase, handing the gun to his mother quickly. He tied the suitcase down again and jumped out of the bed, climbing back in the truck. He slid into the back seat and sat down while his mother closed the door behind her. She leaned back and placed one of the pistols on his lap.

"Just in case."

Sarah's heart sank and she hoped that her son wouldn't have to use that gun. She turned to Jolanda who was hurriedly speaking to her husband. Sarah backed out of the parking lot and felt the need to hold her breath while she waited for Jolanda to tell her what was happening. She quickly hung up the phone and turned to Sarah.

"He said he doesn't think it is a machine. He believes it is the guerrillas. They were not happy with what Enrique supplied them with. I assume they are going to our house to steal all the firepower there."

Sarah nodded slowly as she turned around and took the right toward the safe house. She let out a small sigh of relief.

"Let's pray that's all they take."


	5. Farewell

**Chapter 5: Farewell**

 **August 10th, 1992**

 **03:53 A.M.**

 **San Ángel, Mexico**

—

The hard ground of the Salceda's safe house was not comfortable but John Connor knew that as long as it was practical it would work. He glanced over his back to his mother sleeping a couple feet away from him. She and the Salceda children were all fast asleep but John couldn't sleep. His mother had insisted on staying up to watch for Enrique but Jolanda had managed to convince his mother that she needed rest. He had been lying awake for at least a half hour, thoughts racing inside of his head.

He kept seeing the fear on his mother's face when she was trying to wake him up to leave. Seeing her afraid, made him feel the same way; especially since she wouldn't tell him what was happening. It seemed as if she didn't really tell him anything about their lives. He didn't know why she was so terrified of the machines or what they really were. And whenever he asked about his father, she would give as little information as possible as if she was hesitant to say it out loud.

John shifted restlessly again and looked at his mother, eyeing the gun that was always close to her head. When she had placed one of them in his lap, he wouldn't dare touch it. He was afraid that if he were to shoot it that he might end up as paranoid as his mother. He didn't have to know a lot of details to know that she was always afraid and ready to run. He had been woken up countless nights to hear her crying or to find that she had already gone and done her workout for the day. His mother was more physically fit than anyone he knew.

John watched as his mother's eyebrows furrowed slowly before they went back to normal. He waited for a few more minutes watching as she began to shift around nervously, her face contorting into pain. He sat up slowly and pulled the thin blanket off of him, crawling to his mother's side. He placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her.

"Mom?"

She pushed him away with her right arm but John got back up again, shaking her harder.

"Mom?"

Her hands moved up to his, grabbing his wrists as she moved to sit up, her eyes opening quickly. Once she realized who it was, she released him and let out a shaky breath, moving some of her blonde hair out of her face. John sat back down and pulled the blanket around his legs.

"Are you okay, mom?"

Sarah rubbed her eyes slowly as she shook her head.

"No. I…"

"Nothing's happened, mom. We're safe."

Sarah blue eyes locked onto her son's speaking a little harsher.

"We are never safe."

John watched as she glanced around the shelter and spoke softly.

"What are you looking for? Those machines? Mom, they're not here. There's no way they can find us."

"They can always find us, John."

"They're not gods."

Sarah ignored John and moved as if to stand but John caught her wrist before she could fully rise.

"Where are you going?"

Sarah knelt down on the ground across from her son.

"We have to leave, John."

John backed away from her, confused.

"What? Why?"

Sarah placed the pistol in her lap and looked at her son.

"What if it had been a machine instead of those guerrillas? We would have had no way of knowing it was going to come. It would have just showed up and killed all of the Salcedas before it would have reached us. I didn't have my gun on me, John. It would have cornered and killed us too. We cannot put the Salceda family in danger any longer. We have to leave."

"Mom, no one knows we are with the Salcedas… nobody. And if something were going to come, we would know."

Sarah shook her head slowly, fiddling nervously with the trigger on the pistol.

"The Salcedas have helped us long enough. We need to be out there, alone, away from anyone who could get hurt because of us. And if we don't leave and something happens to any of the Salcedas, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. It's safer if we leave now and not tell them where we are going."

"You don't even know where we're going! Mom, we don't have anywhere to go because no one knows we are here."

Sarah glanced over to the sleeping Salceda siblings and leaned closer to her son.

"Quiet down, John."

"I don't want to leave."

"I know, John. I don't want to either but we have to for their safety."

"What about our safety? Aren't we safer with someone who actually has money and a place we can live rather than out on our own with barely enough money to last us a day?"

Sarah placed a hand on John's shoulder and bent down so that she looked directly into his green eyes to see tears beginning to form.

"Honey, we'll make it work. I'll figure it out. I promise. Right now, I need you to get ready to leave, okay?"

John shook his head slowly, looking away from his mother as he tried to fight the tears that were coming. Sarah's voice softened as she looked over her son.

"I know you're scared but we can do this, John. I know that the Salcedas are family and that I am asking you to do a lot right now. But that's… that's only because I need you, John. I need your help right now. And I promise you that someday we'll come back and we'll visit them again."

John didn't reply to his mother's comment and looked over at the sleeping Salceda children. He didn't want to leave them. Franco, Paco, and Juanita were like his older siblings. He couldn't imagine living without them… but he also didn't want them to get hurt because of his family. A single tear fell down John's cheek as he turned back to his mother.

"Okay."

Sarah leaned forward and wrapped her arms around John, holding him close to her. John sniffled softly for a few minutes before he pulled away and reached for his shoes. As he was tying the laces, he noticed his mother walk away and sat there, wishing there was another way.


	6. Prodigy

**Chapter 6: Prodigy**

 **April 2** **nd** **, 1993**

 **12:47 A.M.**

 **Oaxaca, Mexico**

—

Eight year old John Connor let out a slow breath as his fingers quickly tapped across the small laptop's computer. His tongue peeked out between his lips as he struggled to write the code fast enough so that the rich man's security system wouldn't go off. It was a fairly simple code compared to the ones his mother expected him to do but the job was still stressful. The only time he had gotten up from his rickety chair was when he needed to use the restroom and when he had gone to grab something to eat around nine o'clock. But other than that, he had been sitting at the computer for about four hours now.

His tired green eyes stared intensely at the screen, blinking every 20 seconds, as he hunched over the computer. John nodded slowly as some of the cameras on the perimeter of the large house began to power down and leaned back in his chair. However, he reached forwards and grabbed the small two way radio on the table and spoke into it.

"Cameras are down. What's your ETA?"

His mother's stern and quiet voice crackled from the old radio.

"You'll know when I know. Just make sure that the system stays offline."

John rolled his eyes as he agreed and set the radio down on the table. The rich man's security system was good… but it wasn't good enough. John could power down the cameras but he couldn't link the feed to his computer meaning that he had no idea what was going on. He just knew that his mother and two other men from the local guerrilla group were breaking into the house and stealing something the boss wanted. He had had several talks with his mother about the gang but she had assured him that they could work the situation to their advantage together.

That meant lots of late nights and early mornings for the computer prodigy. He hadn't gotten a computer to work on until after they had run away from the Salceda family two years ago which meant that he had progressed enough that he could hack amateur security systems at eight years old. However, that was just one more reason for his mom to talk his ear off about how important he was. It's not like anyone in the future knew he existed anyway. The machine was supposed to kill his mother but instead it created two problems for the computer; his mother and himself.

John often thought about the future, wondering how Skynet would take control of the world. He didn't see how it was possible for a computer to take over the world. He knew that computers had come along way but not so far as to destroy the world. His mother was convinced that there was something special about the company and he had done extensive research on the company and its current employees. And despite his best efforts the only thing he came up with was that the company officially opened in 1986, a scientist by the name of Miles Dyson was a part of one of their biggest, top secret projects, and the owner of the technological company was a woman named Carol Pointe.

"John?"

John shook himself out of his trance and scrambled to pick up the radio.

"Y… yeah?"

"There's a camera moving. It almost spotted us."

"What!?"

John flung back towards his computer, his fingers typing faster than he thought he could.

"I thought you cleared all of them."

His eyes swept over the lines of code in confusion, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

"I… I thought I did too."

Maybe the rich man's security system was better than he thought.

"Hold on, I'm working on it now."

"Hurry."

"I know."

John drew in a deep breath, feeling paranoia keep him awake as he scrambled to find a solution. The camera was disabled. It said so on the screen… but yet, it was still moving around. John bit his lip anxiously and tried every form of code he could to shut it down, praying that it wouldn't recognize his mother and the other two men. He was afraid of what could happen to him if their boss figured out that he had failed. And knowing that he would be facing that situation without his mother, he knew it wouldn't end very well for either of them.

John finally found a back door that worked and exhaled quickly, grabbing the radio.

"Clear to go."

The line was silent for a few seconds and John felt his heart beat quicken inside and was instantly relieved when his mother softly confirmed it. He shook his head slowly and decided to double check every camera that said it was down… just in case. To be honest, John was more worried about his mother's reaction than the gang leaders. He took a quick gulp of his now room temperature water and secured all the systems, triple checking before he let himself relax a little bit.

The moment he sat back, he felt a wave of exhaustion pass over him. His eyes were strained and tired from staring at the computer screen for so long and his body was begging him for rest. He had grown bored of the sour water and crumbly crackers, leaving him with nothing to do but wait for the mission to finish. He sat there in his chair, occasionally walking around or doing a few push-ups to keep him awake and alert.

The second his mother told him they were out, he jumped back in his chair and waited until they were gone to turn the cameras back on and make the feed a continuous loop of the empty yard. There was no way the old, rich man should be able to know something was wrong or that he had been hacked but his mother had taught him that there is always another way. So he had quickly learned to adapt to the situation and look for every possible angle; whether that meant a back door code or the nearest door for a quick exit. His mother had made it quite clear that he always had to be ready to run.


	7. Getting Closer

**Chapter 7: Getting Closer**

 **April 2nd, 1993**

 **01:21 A.M.**

 **Oaxaca, Mexico**

—

Sarah Connor groaned when she heard their old truck begin to squeal, struggling to move forward. It was later than they had planned meaning that she was tired and frustrated. Her son was at the small flat alone and with every passing minute, she began to worry that something might happen to him while she was gone. She had taught him all she could but he was still young and small.

John had a tendency to naturally trust people and Sarah felt horrible for working to destroy that trait of his but it was too dangerous. It was too risky to trust anyone outside the family and that meant it was just her and her son. She had noticed her son becoming more dejected recently but there wasn't much she could do. Despite her best efforts, she knew that she was becoming obsessed with their lives and how it would affect their future. Her entire life was geared towards being smarter, faster, and stronger so that if they opportunity every came, she would be able to fight to keep her son alive. She didn't want him to have the same fate as his father.

As Sarah began to recognize the familiar streets, she became more relaxed and slowed the groaning truck down. As she drove up to their small rental flat, she noticed a shadow in the back and her heart squeezed from inside her. She parked the car and flicked the lights on and off. The shadow turned and she was relieved to find that it was her son. He nodded and tossed whatever he was holding at the back of the house and ran through, appearing at the front door, dragging their two suitcases from behind him.

Sarah leaned forward on the passenger's side and helped him load the suitcases in the back seat. She glanced over at him with a small smile as he closed the door softly behind him.

"Everything good?"

John nodded as he straightened the camo jacket over his shoulders.

"Yeah. I broke the computer and tossed it out that way they can't track it to us."

"Good."

John leaned his head back against the seat as Sarah pulled out. He turned to his mother, drawing in a slow breath.

"So… you got the boss what he wanted. How are we going to get away without them knowing?"

Sarah opened her mouth to speak and hesitated, cursing herself silently. She knew that John could sense whenever she hesitated. She didn't want to tell him the truth but she watched from the corner of her eyes as John's eyebrows furrowed. After a few minutes of contemplation, John's eyes widened as he looked at her.

"You didn't give him the money. Did you?"

Sarah stopped at the nearest intersection and reached across John, opening the glove box. Hundreds of pesos fell out of the compartment and John stared at it, stunned. He turned to her with fear, trying to say something but was unable to get it out. Sarah looked back at him scornfully, noting his slight overreaction.

"They were going to sell us out, John."

"Like not give us a cut of the left overs?"

Sarah shook her head slowly as she continued to drive out of the small town onto the dirt highway.

"No… like they were going to call the authorities on us. You know I can't let that happen. So I knocked out the guys with me and tied them up to the target's fence so they couldn't follow us. Then I destroyed all communications between us and them. That is why we are leaving."

John looked away from his mother, staring at the road ahead of them as he tried to process all his mother had said. Sarah, however, did not want to wait for him to reply so she continue speaking, glancing over at him every few seconds.

"John, you have got to learn to always think and act a step ahead of everyone around you. You have to be able to predict when people are going to take advantage of you. We can never trust anyone but each other. We are never safe."

John's stunned expression quickly faded and turned into one of sadness and a hint of anger that Sarah picked up on. She knew that John wanted to be normal but he wasn't and neither was she. Kyle Reese wouldn't have been willing to die for her if she had been normal like other girls in 1984.

"We're going to Durango."

"Why?"

"Because it is about 15 hours away from this place and 10 hours from San Angel which distances us away from all our mistakes. Besides, it also helps us work out a way closer to the United States."

John drew his legs in close to his chest, still resting his head on the back of the seat.

"Why would we want to get closer to the U.S.? I thought we weren't going to go back there."

"Someday, when things get too bad here, we will go into Los Angeles, California. But it's dangerous because Cyberdyne Systems is there. There is a lot of risk in going back to L.A. but eventually that is going to be something we have to do."

"More risky than a Mexican mob boss wanting us tossed in jail or killed?"

Sarah chuckled halfheartedly, shaking her head slowly.

"Yes, we'll have to do some pretty great sneaking in order to stay away from the police and under Skynet's radar."

"We don't even know if they have a radar, mom."

"They will soon. You can quote me on that if you'd like."

A grin erupted on John's face as he turned away from her and she smiled as well, grateful that she had made a tense situation a little calmer. She glanced down at the dollar bills that had spilled from the glove compartment and continued to speak.

"Now… we're going to get gas and hit the bathroom there, grab some food, and then you can sleep. Okay?"

John nodded slowly as he looked back at his mother with his tired green eyes.

"I'd like that."


	8. Sergeant Jones

**Chapter 8: Sergeant Jones**

 **December 3rd, 1992**

 **06:40 P.M.**

 **Durango, Mexico**

—

"Where are you going?"

Sarah Connor walked hurriedly around the small flat, gathering everything she would need inside of a colorful bag she had received from Jolanda Salceda several years ago. She spoke briskly as she shoved things inside, including one of their pistols.

"I'm going to find a local bar and try to get some work."

John stared at her with a confused expression as he held his last taco in his hand.

"As a waitress?"

"No. I'm trying to find another crew I can join. We need money and we need to continue training."

John nodded slowly and took a bite out of his taco, knowing there was no point in arguing with her. Sarah slid on her leather jacket and walked over to John, bending down to kiss his forehead.

"I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Okay."

"If I'm not back by 9, call me."

"Okay."

Sarah stepped away from her son with a small smile and left him to finish his taco. She opened the door and hesitated to leave; wanting to remind John of everything he needed to do in an emergency but instead she drew in a deep breath and locked the door behind her. John knew the rules and she needed to start trusting in that. She hopped in the truck and drove around Durango, eagerly searching for the closest bar.

The first one she found was a run-down building with faded yellow and red colors with the techiest thing being a neon sign that said open. She parked in the small lot and locked the truck behind her, keeping her bag on her shoulder and her hand ready to move just in case. She noticed a sign that read 'Brother's Bar' in Spanish and opened the wooden doors. The building was hot just like it was outside and reeked of body odor and alcohol.

Sarah drew in a slow breath and watched men and women holding beers as they played cards at tables strewn across the restaurant. There was faint music in the background but Sarah hardly paid attention to that. She walked to the counter and dug through her purse for a few pesos, ordering a beer. The elderly man smiled and nodded, placing the beer bottle on the counter. She opened it and took a sip, turning in her seat to look over the different people in the bar. There was nothing out of the ordinary but Sarah could tell that there were some people that seemed more uptight than others.

She took another sip and turned her back to the people, trying to think of her next move. She stared at the beer bottle in her hand and reminded herself not to drink a lot tonight. She didn't want John to see her drunk. Besides, she had never really liked alcohol anyways. Its purpose was to distract and distort the mind and that was something Sarah could never afford to do.

"You look like a woman who could drink her problems away."

Sarah turned in her seat to see a tall, muscular man wearing torn blue jeans, a gray flannel shirt and brown boots. He wasn't the most handsome man but he did have unique features; long nose, jutting chin, light blue-gray eyes, and short dirty blonde hair. He nodded toward the seat next to Sarah and she nodded back, letting him sit next to her. He took a sip of his beer before turning to her with a white smile. Sarah shook her head as she looked back at him.

"There isn't enough alcohol in this country to wash away my problems… not without killing me."

The man nodded slowly as he let out a slow breath.

"You don't seem like the other woman here. You're tense…"

His eyes flicked to her biceps before going back to her eyes.

"And strong."

Sarah smiled dryly.

"I like to work out. It keeps me sane."

"Who are you? Ex-soldier?"

Sarah hesitated to answer the question, not wanting to spin another web of lies but he couldn't know who she was. Her life was meant to be told as someone else's story.

"Army and dishonorably discharged. Mission went south right around the time I was in a relationship with my commander. It didn't end well. So here I am in Mexico… wasting away."

Sarah opened her mouth to talk about her son but decided to close it, taking another sip of her beer to make it look like she was exasperated.

"What about you?"

"Sgt. Frank Jones, Army. I had my share of adventures as well. I served my time and then left. I wasn't the same person when I got out. I was… damaged."

Sarah nodded slowly as she watched for tells that he was lying but she couldn't find any.

"Yeah… the PTSD alone is hell."

Sarah stretched out her hand and shook Frank's.

"Sarah Reese."

"Nice to meet you, Reese."

"It's always nice to find a brother or sister in arms."

Sarah turned away for a moment, making it look like she was taking another sip but she was faking it. She tried to think of as many details as she could. She had just reinvented herself… again and she needed a story. After a few silent moments, she turned back to the man sitting beside her.

"What can an ex-soldier do around here? Any good jobs?"

"That depends on what you want to do. I'm sure they could use another waitress somewhere."

Sarah scowled at him as he chuckled softly but made sure to make it look playful.

"I've already been a waitress before and it's not something I would do again. I'm trying to find something to match my skill set."

"And what is that skill set?"

Sarah stared straight into the ex-soldier's eyes as she spoke.

"Military grade firearms, handguns, edged weapons, explosives, and hand-to-hand combat."

Frank shifted in his seat, glancing over at the bartender, before he looked back to Sarah.

"I'll ask around and see what I can find. I'll see you in three days."

Sarah nodded and turned away from him with a small smile.

"Thanks, Jones."

"Sure thing, Reese."


	9. War Simulator

**Chapter 9: War Simulator**

 **December 3** **rd** **, 1992**

 **08:40 P.M.**

 **Durango, Mexico**

—

John let out a small sigh as he checked the time on his laptop, knowing his mom would want him to start heading to bed. They were recently committed to try to get as many hours of sleep as they could. It felt like one of the only normal things they were doing. He stepped away from his computer and walked over to their packed suitcases, pulling out his small sleeping bag, pillow, and blanket. It was minimalistic but it was what John was used to.

He dragged the stuff back into the corner behind the kitchen table, making sure that it was hidden from as many windows and doors as it could be. Then he walked back and set up his mother's bedding a few feet in front of him, closer toward the windows or doors so she would be ready if anything happened. John stopped for a moment, wanting to move her bedding so it was next to his but even if he did so, she would move it. So he placed the pillow down and walked back to the table, grabbing his laptop.

He set the computer down in front of his pillow and laid on his stomach, resting his head on his elbow as he waited for the game to load. There were many things he could be doing instead of playing a game but he knew how to cover his tracks well enough to hide it from his mother. She would criticize him for not strengthening one of his skills so he tried to think of it as learning strategy. The war simulator game loaded and John eagerly started it, reading quickly over the rules.

It was simple; take out the enemy's forces. He picked the medium level and first examined the map. Red dots showed where the enemy was and the blue dots represented his forces. He leaned closer to the screen and waited for a few seconds, letting the enemy make the first move. He waited patiently, watching over his forces as two red dots began blinking toward his armies. They were sending planes to bomb him.

John clicked on the artillery and set it up to track the planes as they drew closer. If they dropped bombs, they would be shot down and if they didn't John's forces would shoot it down before it could do any damage. His mother had made it quite clear that there wasn't a lot of mercy in the future war. At least that was from what she had heard from his father. John's finger hovered over the mouse pad ready to fire at will. As the planes passed over his forces, he hesitated to fire at them and his supply shelter was bombed.

John wanted to believe there was mercy in war as he tried to rebuild the shelter, looking out for any more planes or ground troops. The only way there could be mercy was if John showed it toward others in the war. However, the machines wouldn't show any mercy. John's artillery shot the planes down as they tried to circle around and John tried to think of them as machines. A computer wasn't programmed to regard human life. Computers did whatever the programmer told them to do.

He knew that was why his mother placed such great emphasis on him learning computers. He hated to say he enjoyed it but he did. He felt powerful every time he passed a firewall, hacked his way into some amateur company, or rerouted security cameras. That was what he had to offer his mother since he was too small and young to fight yet so he learned to use the computer. John drew in a deep breath and sat up as he watched the enemy begin to move their tanks forward. They came a lot faster than John thought they would and he scrambled to increase his forces.

John's eyes locked onto the dim computer screen forgetting to watch the time and focused everything on defeating this army. It proved to be harder than he had expected. He cursed himself for not starting at an easier level but was reminded that struggling was good. As time went on, he began to enjoy the challenge and suffered many losses. With just one artillery station left, he used the scope and fired at their last tank. The word 'victory' flashed across the screen and John pumped his fists in the air.

"Yes!"

He slid the laptop into his lap and grinned as he looked over the stat page.

"John?"

John flinched at the sound of his mother's voice and looked up from the computer with wide eyes.

"M… mom? Hey…"

Sarah folded her arms across her chest as she eyed the computer before looking back at him.

"What are you doing?"

John opened his mouth to speak but hesitated and closed it, hating how he couldn't lie to his mother. His eyes locked onto the computer as he spoke, defeated.

"I… I was playing a game."

"Do you know what time it is?"

John looked back up at his mother, shaking his head slowly. She glanced back at the computer and he looked at the clock and grimaced. It was 9:30. She had told him that if she wasn't back at 9 that he needed to call her… and he had forgotten to do it. Sarah set her bag down on the ground as she dropped to her knees, motioning for him to give her the laptop. John grudgingly handed it to her and waited nervously as she looked over the game.

John shifted uncomfortably with the silence as he watched his mother take in every detail, wondering what she was going to say. She looked at him for a moment and then back at the computer before she set it down in between them.

"I'm not mad at you, John. Just a little disappointed. When I ask you to do something, I expect you to do it. So much can happen in so little time and we need to be there for each other."

"Sorry."

Sarah nodded slowly, accepting his apology and got off of her bedding, dragging it next to John's. She sat down next to him and turned the computer toward both of them.

"So… how did you win?"

John smiled as he pulled the laptop closer to him and began to explain his strategy. They discussed the stats and the map with Sarah suggesting several different plays John could have done. Then at 10:30, Sarah leaned over and kissed John's forehead as she closed the computer.

"Time for bed. I love you."

"I love you too."


	10. Guilty

**Chapter 10: Guilty**

 **February 27** **th** **, 1993**

 **09:25 PM**

 **Durango, Mexico**

—

Sarah Connor slipped her black jacket on her shoulders, drawing in a deep breath before she pulled her hair into a tight ponytail. She grabbed her burner phone and pistol and placed them on the inside pockets of her jacket. As she zipped up the bag with her other gadgets and weapons, she watched John stare at the computer screen with confusion, his fingers tapping the keys furiously.

"Everything okay?"

John growled in response, slamming one of his fists down on the table.

"Why aren't you working!?"

Sarah walked over to her son, glancing over the software not knowing much of anything about it. She kept her mouth shut as John let out a small sigh before he continued to work. He held out his hand and Sarah pulled out the burner phone. He flipped the phone over in his hand and pried the back cover off with a tool, studying the wiring. He carefully poked around the small wires and chip, looking for the problem. Sarah pulled out one of the dining chairs and sat next to John, keeping her eyes on her watch as he worked.

"Is it going to be ready or not?"

"Give me a minute."

Sarah nodded slowly, trying to think of what had to be going through her son's head. His eyebrows furrowed and his tongue stuck out while he fumbled with the phone before he turned back to the computer.

"The phone isn't connecting to the computer and if that doesn't happen, I can't track where you are going."

"It's fine, John. I need to go."

John stopped and looked up at his mother, shaking his head. He opened his mouth to say something but Sarah beat him to it as she took the phone from his hand.

"I'll be back very late tonight. Don't stay up and wait."

"Don't go far."

"I would never. You're turning eight tomorrow. It's a big day and I need to be a part of it!"

Sarah smiled as she nodded, putting the phone in her back pocket.

"I love you."

"I love you too, mom."

Sarah smiled as she double-checked her jacket pockets, making sure she had everything.

"I can't believe you're going to be a year older already."

"Yeah well, it happens every year."

"I know… you're growing up too fast."

John chuckled softly as he rolled his eyes at her, closing his computer.

"Goodnight, mom."

Sarah returned the smile as she came back to the table and grabbed his computer then walked to the front door.

"Goodnight."

Her smile instantly faded as she locked the door behind her, feeling guilt creep inside her heart. She had trained John to know where she was every second of the day and he was following it excellently. But sometimes, she didn't want him to follow her or see what she was going to do. Sarah shook herself out of her trance and drew in a breath of the cool air as she stepped into her truck, starting it with a groan. When she reached the first stop light, she glanced back at their small flat.

"Sorry, John."

She tossed the burner phone out the window and took off on the dirt road. Her blue eyes scanned the addresses as she passed them, taking a sharp right turn down another road. John had mentioned a couple days ago that he had gotten a virus on his computer and Sarah was determined to fix it for good. She knew that she didn't understand a lot about electronics so she was glad that she had brought John's computer along with her. Maybe then she would be able to figure out what computer would be better for him.

Sarah pulled into the parking lot of the local computer corporation and grabbed her bag of gear, walking to avoid the camera in the fronts. She pulled out her pistol and shot the two cameras, hoping no one would hear it even though she knew the silencer was on. She quickly ran to the glass doors and used the butt of her gun to break it, reaching around from the inside to unlock it. The memory of Kyle doing the same thing stunned her but she pushed through it, trying to keep herself focused on the task.

She ran into the store, skipping past the phone section and drew in a deep breath as she arrived at the computers. She took out her son's laptop and tried to compare it to the descriptions of all the new models. Sarah's heart began to race as she stressed about what to grab and quickly grabbed one of them, hoping that their charger would work on the new one. Sarah could feel time ticking away as she began to overstay her welcome.

Sarah shoved the new computer in the bag, shooting John's old laptop three times, hoping that the damage would help keep the authorities from getting anything from it. Sarah then pulled out three packs of C4 and ran around the building to secure them, hoping that it would be enough to cover her tracks. She didn't have time to check and see if she had left fingerprints or a strand of hair behind. She needed to get out quick.

Sarah's heart sank as she heard the wail of a police siren not far from where she was. She cursed and worked faster, connecting all the wires to the detonator, trying to plan her exit before she would blow it. Her finger hovered over the button as she contemplated whether or not to grab her stuff. She rushed forward on instinct and gripped the handles, pulling it onto her shoulder as she ran for the back door.

Two police cars came rushing into the parking lot and she waited silently for the moment they would draw closer. Two of the four officers came out with their guns up, examining the cameras and the door. Sarah's heart pounded fast against her chest as she watched them enter the store. Sarah gritted her teeth and braced herself as she opened the back door, turning their attention toward her. She pressed the button and tossed the detonator aside, hoping the officers wouldn't be killed. She didn't want to go down as a murderer.

Sarah sprinted into the back of the parking lot, heading toward the clearing of woods in front of her, feeling the heat and hearing her ears ring with the explosion. The remaining officers scurried to figure out what was happening and one of them caught sight of her. He shouted into his radio as he chased after her with his gun ready if he needed to use it. Her footsteps pounded against the pavement before she jumped into the trees for cover.

She weaved through the trees, seeing the officer's flashlight flicker every couple of seconds as he tried to find her. Sarah heard another siren drawing closer and felt her heart sink inside of her when she saw the lights begin to close in on her. She tossed her bag on the ground and sprinted trying to stay away from as many lights as she could. However, the clearing ahead of her ended and turned into someone's open backyard meaning that they would catch her either way.

She heard a gunshot go off not far from her and stopped, turning to see where it had come from. She struggled to hear the officer's megaphone over her heavy breathing. Sarah shook her head slowly before she stared straight into the eyes of the officer pursuing her. He raised his gun and Sarah wondered whether she should fight him or not but stopped, instantly thinking about John. She couldn't die now… not while he was so young. Sarah had a hard time admitting to herself that she was caught as an officer came from behind and snapped her hands into handcuffs behind her back. The only thing Sarah thought about was her son and how she wouldn't be home for his birthday like she had promised, wondering how she would keep him safe.


	11. The Reappearing Act

**Chapter 11: The Reappearing Act**

 **February 28** **th** **, 1993**

 **07:37 AM**

 **FBI Los Angeles Office, California**

—

Detective Jesse Flores let out a long sigh as she sat down at her desk, setting her hot coffee down to the left of her keyboard. She sat back in her chair, pulling her long black curls back into a ponytail behind her head as her tired brown eyes looked over the stack of paperwork she had yet to do. She still wasn't sure how she had made it into the FBI but she wasn't complaining. Being able to access government files alone was a miracle when it came to completing her missions. The office was quiet as agents began to trickle in for the long day ahead of them.

Jesse took a sip of her black coffee before she turned on her computer monitor, typing in her password. She scanned over the emails finding nothing relatively new but a lot of due dates. In an effort to avoid doing the paperwork, she kept pressing the refresh button, hoping something would come in. About 10 minutes after she had first arrived, an important email flashed on the screen. She sat up straight in her seat and leaned forward to get a closer look.

Her brown eyes widened as she stared at the electronic file, shaking her head slowly.

"It can't be…"

Jesse's heart sank inside of her as she read over all of the information, wishing it wasn't true.

"What are you doing, Sarah Connor?"

After nine years of searching, Sarah Jeanette Connor had finally come up again. The Los Angeles Police Department had closed the case of the strange man, Sarah Jeanette Connor, the supposed soldier from the future, and the 17 police officers killed in the shootout. The police had kept up with Sarah Connor for a couple of months after the incident and one day, after learning from a local doctor that she was pregnant, she had run away and the police much less the FBI had never been able to find her… until now."

Jesse's partner, Detective James Ellison, had been intrigued with the 1984 case since early 1990 and on her first day of working with him, he had told her that he was going to solve the case. It would appear that he would finally get that chance in Durango, Mexico. Jesse took one last sip of her coffee and opened her filing cabinet, shoving her gun in the holster at her side. She grabbed her small briefcase and clicked to print the file before she moved out quickly to find her partner.

She stopped by the printer and took out the newly printed papers, rushing to her partner's office. Jesse shoved the papers under her arm as she knocked on the door to Detective Ellison's office rapidly. The dark skinned man lifted his head and motioned for her to come in. The tall, bald man with brown eyes looked more tired than Jesse was and she didn't think that was possible. He wore his typical dark grey suit with the light blue tie and sat forward in his chair. Jesse's instincts told her to skip the small talk and get right to the facts so she did. Jesse placed the files down in front of her partner and set her briefcase down on the ground.

"It would appear that you'll get to close the case after all. Sarah Jeanette Connor was apprehended in Durango, Mexico for multiple charges with one of them being attempted murder. It would appear that your girl is now a gangbanger; armed robbery, arson, and domestic terrorism."

Detective Ellison's eyebrows furrowed with shock as he silently looked over the papers. He leaned back in his chair with one hand on his chin as he studied the words, confused.

"Why would she do this?"

"That's something for the doctors to figure out. We've been assigned to retrieve her and bring her back to the States."

Ellison nodded slowly as he handed the papers back to Jesse.

"I need to make a few phone calls before we go. Search the database for anything more on Sarah Connor. Check Interpol records and see if she shows up. I want to know everything we can know about her."

"She's been hiding for nine years in Mexico with no sign she was there until now. Also, there may be a kid."

"What?"

Jesse nodded as she leaned forward, placing her hands on his desk.

"When Sarah Connor left the States her doctor said she was about three months pregnant."

"Like I said, search everything. I'll page you when it is time to leave."

"Yes, sir."

Jesse picked up her briefcase and drew in a slow breath as she turned away from her partner. She stopped at the doorway and turned back to him.

"What do we do if her kid is there? We can't leave him there, alone in Mexico."

"I'm more concerned with how we're going to find the child. Who knows what his mother has taught him? The only thing we know for sure is that he's at least 8 or 9 years old."

"I have a feeling this is going to be messy."

Ellison let out a sigh as he rose to his feet, adjusting the buttons on his suit coat.

"We'll just have to take one thing at a time. For now, we need to get to Durango, Mexico and have a talk with Sarah Connor."


	12. All Caught Up

**Chapter 12: All Caught Up**

 **February 28th, 1993**

 **11:45 AM**

 **Durango, Mexico**

 **—**

John Connor's green eyes were open and staring at the noonday sun peeking from the window. He had been surprised to wake up alone, figuring out that his mother had not yet arrived from her mission the night before. John had tried to convince himself that she would be back but he was starting to grow restless and worried. He reached across the table and grabbed his burner phone, typing in his mother's digits for the third time, praying she would pick up.

When he couldn't connect to her, he slowly pulled the phone away from his face and sat back against the kitchen chair, trying to think of the next step. His mother had said she would be back early in the morning but their interpretation of early was about 4 o'clock in the morning. He had woken up at around 8 and had been waiting ever since. John's gut told him something was wrong as it slowly twisted inside him. His heart began to pound faster as he tried to think of all the possibilities and felt tears begin to burn in his eyes at the thought of her being caught, or worse, dead.

He had always believed that his mother was invincible. There was nothing that could tear her down. It was hard for John to believe that the law had somehow caught up with her. Especially since they had been careful for so many years, trying their best to learn all the skills they would need for the future. Without thinking too much of it, John rushed to his feet and dressed for the day, deciding to wear an oversized camo jacket and Public Enemy t-shirt he had gotten from Enrique Salceda when he was younger. Enrique had always said he would grow into it as time went by.

John shoved his phone, flashlight, extra set of clothes, miscellaneous electronic items, and keepsakes from his years before Durango in his backpack and threw it over his shoulder. He grabbed the keys and walked out of their small flat, locking the door behind him. John drew in a shaky breath as he watched the busy streets of Durango crowded like it always was. He walked through the crowd and down the dirt road toward the main road, hoping he could find his way to the police station.

He had left his pistol and extra ammo behind in the flat because it wasn't good for a child to carry it and if his mother was at the police station or nearby, it wouldn't be wise for him to be armed. Thoughts ran through John's head as he tried to think of how he would find her. What if she wasn't at the police station? What if she was hiding somewhere and waiting until she could come back? What if she was going to be home at the flat while he was at the police station? The latter was the last thing he wanted to happen.

John Connor's heartbeat began to quicken as he continued down the dirt road, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency. His speed walking quickly turned into jogging which then turned to sprinting when he saw several marked police cars along with two black S.U.V.'s pulled up at the local police station. John stopped at the entrance of the parking lot and glanced around with fear. What if his mother was already gone and he was all alone in Mexico with nowhere to go?

John stepped into the parking lot and made sure his eyes were constantly moving, analyzing the situation. John's breaths began to grow shorter as he moved closer to the police station, regretting every step he was taking. His mother had always taught him to avoid the law or they would get caught and now he was turning to their biggest enemy. He didn't know all the reasons why he had to be afraid of the law but he had a feeling he was about to figure out why.

John stopped on the sidewalk and glanced all around him, feeling as if someone was watching him. His thoughts began to twist inside his mind making it difficult to think clearly. He dropped his head to the ground, placing his hands on his head as he pulled his dark brown hair, wanting to turn back. He shook his head quickly and decided to face his fear. He had to find his mother. The world was too dangerous for him to live without her. He gripped one strap of his backpack tight as he began to walk toward the glass doors.

As John came around the corner, he gasped and hid behind the wall again, trying to fight the tears that were filling his eyes. An African American man and Latina woman were leading his mother out of the police station and toward one of the S.U.V.s. Without thinking much of it, John ran out from behind the building, running to catch up to them. His heart sank as he watched them begin to step into the van. John shouted desperately with tears on his cheek.

"MOM!"

His mother's wide blue eyes locked onto his and the Latina woman stepped forward, stopping him from getting closer to her. His breaths fell heavy as he looked between the two agents and his mother. He shook his head quickly with disbelief, wishing none of this was real. A single tear fell down his mother's cheek as she looked at him with sadness and love.

"John?"

"Mom…"

The African American man glanced between Sarah and the small boy before he turned to his partner.

"Well, that was quick."

The Latina woman nodded slowly, releasing John and letting him run to his mother's side.

"You promised me, mom. You promised!"

"I'm sorry, John."

John turned on his heels to face the two agents standing behind him, his voice choking with anger and fear.

"You can't do this. You… you… you can't take her!"

"John, look at me."

John turned back to his mother with wide eyes, recognizing her defeated demeanor.

"I'm not leaving without you, mom. We're a team. We work together."

"Listen to me, John. Everything's going to be different now."

The Latina woman placed a hand on John's shoulder, motioning for him to step inside the van. John hesitated to do so but knew that he didn't want to be separated from his mother. John gripped his backpack and stepped inside the van, sitting down next to his mother, resting his head on her shoulder as he began to cry. They had done it… the cops had finally caught up to them. It was a day John wasn't expecting so soon, especially on his 8th birthday.

John gripped his mother's arm and whispered softly.

"What's going to happen to us, mom?"

"I don't know."

"We could get out again. We always do."

"Not this time."

John drew away slowly with a confused expression.

"What do you mean?"

Sarah's blue eyes locked onto her son's as she spoke softly.

"We can't run from them anymore. They… they're going to question us, John, and you have to tell them the truth. You have to tell them everything. You have to warn them about the machines no matter what happens to me."

Sarah stopped and glanced up at Detective Ellison and another agent in front of them, knowing Detective Flores was behind them. She leaned forward, kissing John's head softly.

"You're going to get the chance to live a normal life now and you need to learn all you can about it. You need to learn to understand people; what drives them to do what they do, and what they rely on. I need you to do that."

"I'm not leaving you, mom."

"You'll have to and that will be okay. They're going to try and make you believe I'm crazy but don't let them in for a second. Remember our rules and I'll be with you soon. Fight like hell, John. Fight like hell could show up at any second."

John held onto his mother's arm tighter as he whispered.

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too. Be strong for me. And remember… that no matter what, the future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."

Sarah rested her head on her son's and tried to breathe in her last few moments with him before she knew they would be separated. She wasn't sure how long or how far away they would be from one another but she would always come back and find him just like he had found her. They both knew that there was nothing that could ever keep them apart and Sarah wished John would cling onto the belief until she would get out. It would be a while but she had faith in her son.


End file.
